


The Sun Also Rises

by BlakRabbit



Category: Banana Fish (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:40:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23730199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlakRabbit/pseuds/BlakRabbit
Summary: This story happens in between the last 2 volumes of Banana Fish.It's hard to stay away from each other when there's still so much to be said
Relationships: Blanca & Ash Lynx, Blanca/Ash Lynx
Kudos: 15





	The Sun Also Rises

Blanca kept repeating what Ash said in his mind…

“You wanna take me along to ‘assuage your own feelings of loneliness’? That ain’t like you, Sergei.”

He tried to force the thought back into the void hoping to forget what he said, but Ash was wrong about him; even a hermit assassin needs a friend sometimes. However, Blanca was satisfied enough to see Ash go knowing the boy had a newfound happiness in life in hopes he’ll actually be able to live with a smile on his face. For once in Blanca’s life it was hard to for him to read a book; he couldn’t stop thinking about what he wanted to do next with his own life. He closes the book, and his first step was to go back to the hotel and get ready to leave for the Caribbean.

Back at the hotel he could feel a conflict in himself build. Wondering what harm it would do staying in New York City? Would he really be happy leaving all of this behind? He sits on the bed slumped over his knees with his hands held together still unable to escape the memories of his past that have come back to haunt him once more. To calm himself down, he undresses and makes himself a nice hot bath, then heads to the mini bar to ready a glass of wine but then he hears a knock on the door.

His alertness is raised knowing he didn’t call for room service so he quickly puts on his bathrobe, hides his pistol underneath, and responds, “Who is it?”

“бұл мен. (It’s me.)”

Blanca knew only a few people that spoke to him in his native tongue, and given that the person’s dialect was very shoddy he knew who it was. He opens the door, and sees his former student leaning up against the wall with his always present New York swagger.

“Changed your mind?” Blanca says with an uplifting tone.

“No, I want to delay the inevitable”, Ash replies softly as he sways gently back and forth, “May I come in? I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“No, you’re not interrupting anything. Please come in.”

Ash lifts himself off the wall, walks into the room, and surveys his surroundings like the wildcat he always is. He sees Blanca’s bags already packed to leave, his case that holds his sniper rifle sits neatly next to them, and the recently opened wine bottle sitting on the mini bar; Ash could tell by reading the room what was going on in Blanca’s head.

“I see you’re taking this just as well as I am”, Ash gives an unsettling chuckle. Blanca reads Ash’s body language all too well; he remembered the last time he saw Ash like this. The first time when he had to leave him and went away for retirement. Ash was disappointed, unprotected, and the worst of all, abandoned by a man he was starting to trust. Blanca never thought he would see this side of Ash again, but it was to be a bit expected given the situation.

They both looked at each other hoping the other would speak, but somehow the silence was enough talk for the both of them for now. Blanca goes over to the mini bar, makes drinks, and hands one to Ash without saying a word. Ash, being offered a drink, gave a smile and took the drink from Blanca’s hand as Blanca smiled back to lighten the mood. Ash immediately downs the wine and heads over to the mini bar while Blanca goes to sit on the sofa to drink. Ash faces his back to Blanca just standing at the bar in a pondering stance. As Blanca was drinking the silence is finally broken by Ash...

“Did you really mean it? Me coming with you?”

“Of course I did, Ash.”

“Did you mean it in **_that_** way?” Ash turns his head around to see Blanca’s reaction to his question.

Blanca with a confused look on his face responds, “I’m sorry, I don’t understand. What are you implying?”

“You know damn well what I’m implying”, Ash turns his whole body around to display his nervousness as his left leg fidgets in a rapid pace. Blanca felt hurt being associated with the seedy clientele he previously worked for, but who could blame a boy with a such chaotic past for asking such a question?

Blanca put the wine glass on the side table, looked into Ash’s eyes, and said, “When I invited you to come to the Caribbean with me my intention was not to keep you to myself or anything of the sort. My intention was to thank you for giving me a purpose in life other than being a cold-hearted killer. You may not know this, but you saved me and this time I wanted to save you.”

Ash stared at Blanca in silence letting the words sink in and creating slight judgments about the man across from him. Ash’s eyes shifted nervously then he stopped to look back at Blanca as the older gentleman walks passed him to head towards the restroom for a relaxing bath.

“I have a few hours to kill before I head to the airport. If there’s nothing else I’d like to relax before my flight. You can stay if you’d like. I understand your feelings towards me given what you’ve been through; I just hope I haven’t damaged what’s left between us.” Blanca takes the pistol out from his bathrobe, and lays it on the mini bar next to Ash. Ash just stands there with a sullen look on his face trying to fight the agonizing battle in his mind. 

As the bathroom door is closed shut Blanca disrobes, and enters into the still steaming hot bubble bath. His body goes limp as he relaxes into the calming water washing away any negative thoughts even if it is for a brief moment. After a while he comes back to full consciousness noticing that he hasn’t heard any movement since he’s been in the bathroom. He gets out of the bath to dry off, and puts on his bathrobe once more while he dries his hair with a dry towel. Opening the door he sees Ash laid out on the sofa asleep to his surprise. Blanca gently smiles at the innocent youth, and picks him up to take him into the bedroom where it’s bit more comfortable. 

He laid Ash down on the soft, plush bed gently as to not wake him. When Blanca just about to leave the room to change into some proper attire he felt a tug on his bathrobe; he turned around to find Ash wide awake piercing his heart with those radiant jade eyes…

“Stay”, Ash whispered softly.

Blanca hesitated for a moment wondering what could be on Ash’s mind now, but then his curiosity drives him to comply as he walks over to the other side of the bed and lay next to his former pupil. As they both lay there Blanca turns his head to find Ash still staring at the ceiling watching the ceiling fan revolve in its monotone rhythm. Ash takes a deep breath to steady his nerves and says…

“Y’know, we both aren’t so different from each other, Blanca; looking for a way out, but could somehow never escape entirely”, Ash turns his head to face Blanca’s, “That thing always pulling us back in. Back to what is familiar even though we know the familiar is what kills us inside. I’m sorry I doubted you. You’re nowhere near the person Dino was or any of those pricks that took advantage of me.”

This time Blanca becomes speechless now letting Ash’s words sink in as he watches the teen gangster once made of stone let tears fall from his eyes freely. Blanca felt a bit better inside knowing that Ash allowed himself to display such emotion to him. He saw trust, and that to him was the best feeling in the world especially coming from a boy that learned to not trust anyone. Blanca felt worthy, but even still couldn’t seem to show his true feelings so he simply smiles in response to Ash’s sincerity. 

Ash gets closer to Blanca in the bed, and softly wraps his arms around Blanca’s neck embracing him. Blanca kept letting Ash in; trying to become completely honest with not only Ash, but with himself as he slowly takes his arms and wrap them around Ash’s waist laying his head near Ash’s chest. The more he lingered there with Ash the more his feelings felt out of his control. Blanca tried to not to think about it, but rather feel this emotion he thought he had lost long ago. Ash could feel his embrace get tighter as time passed; he knew Blanca was breaking…

“Are you really that lonely, Sergei?”

Ash begins to stroke Blanca’s damp hair, and with innate magnetism Blanca buries his face further into Ash’s chest slipping away from reality with every deep breath taken. With his eyes closed to the world Blanca could vividly see her standing there. She waits for him in the pristine white snow with flakes gently blowing with the wind and catch in her blonde hair. As he embraces her he was home. Natasha gives a heavenly smile down upon Blanca as he holds her tightly not wanting to let go with her fingers entwined in his hair. She continues to speak to him…

“I haven’t felt like this with you in a long time.”

“When was the last time?” Blanca asked.

“When we were at Hotel Moon, remember?”

Blanca came back to reality hearing Ash speak about that pivotal day Blanca decided to accept Dino’s offer of becoming Ash’s mentor. He let Ash continue his trip down memory lane…

“I was scared shitless, but somehow your words and your touch got through to me. It was so warm in your arms I actually almost fell asleep. I was so tired.” Ash gave a light chuckle to lighten the mood in the room, but the gravity was too heavy. Ash’s words hit Blanca in such a way that it tipped the scales for him emotionally. To keep himself from crying Blanca clenched his fingers deep into Ash’s shirt.

“Sergei?” Ash says in a soft tone hoping Blanca would respond. After a few seconds Blanca managed to regain a bit of self control and find a few words to say to Ash.

“Менімен кел (Come with me)...сені құтқаруға рұқсат ет. (Let me save you.)”

Ash with his signature stone-faced expression answers Blanca as tears start to well up in his eyes again, “You and I both know that just because Dino is dead doesn’t mean the world stopped spinnin’. They will come for me, Sergei, and they might come for you knowing what you know about me...about everything. You know them better than anybody. As much as I would like to come with you...I just can’t.”

With those words, even though the pain was excruciating to hear, Blanca had finally found the resolve he needed to push forward making a new life for himself. He remembered from reading “Islands in the Stream” the passage of what happens to people that love each other; they become more fortunate than others for having what they have, but eventually one of them gets an emptiness that lasts forever. Blanca decided he wasn’t going to be empty any longer; he was going to fill his life with lasting memories with anyone he involves himself with just like Ash has with his newfound friend, Eiji. 

Blanca lets go of Ash and sits up in the bed to say with a small grin, “If I can’t get you to come with me to the Caribbean. I could at least get you some more...’acceptable’ attire.”

Ash wipes the tears from his eyes, “My threads ain’t fly enough for ya, Old timer?”

“No, your threads ain’t fly for me, Wildcat.” Blanca says with a cheeky expression as he walks off to get dressed.

“God, after so long I forgot how terrible your slang was.”

“I never said it was any good.”

Ash starts to get frustrated, “Hey! Are you done yakkin’ so we can get outta this dump?”

“No, I’m not done...”, Ash has an inquisitive expression as he's handed one of Blanca's luggage cases, “Since you’re here...Would you mind helping me with my luggage? It would nice to not have to make 2 trips.” 

Blanca picks up the other cases, opens the front door, and leaves Ash behind. Ash’s jaw dropped becoming an impromptu bellboy for his former teacher. Blanca has the biggest smile on his face hearing Ash’s boisterous griping coming from the hotel room as they get ready leave the hotel to take Ash shopping for some new clothes. Ash had gotten a black turtle neck, new jeans, suede shoes, a beige overcoat and even a nice wristwatch from Blanca as a parting gift. As Blanca dropped Ash off at the library he had looked in his rear view mirror a few times until Ash was out of his sight. It was still hard for him to see Ash go, but this time there was no conflict or confusion left to ponder...only the path to happiness.


End file.
